A Memorial for Cross
by sladeninstitute
Summary: The Lone Wanderer has just witnessed his friend and follower, Star Paladin Cross, die in battle. He barricades himself into a room so that he can have a moment to reflect before returning to battle. One-shot.


Star Paladin Cross had been following me for weeks. We'd done so much together. Super mutants, deathclaws, seeking out a Tesla Coil, she was there for all of it. She was a damn good fighter, but you'd expect that from a Brotherhood of Steel initiate. Everyone in the Citadel had nothing but praise for her, and they'd always pull me aside and tell me how lucky I was to have her around. Most of the time I nodded politely and said nothing. I didn't know how to respond. How was any of this lucky? Living in an irradiated world full of genetic monstrosities and having to watch my father die didn't exactly scream lucky, regardless of Star Paladin Cross' companionship. But looking back on everything she and I went through together, I know now that everyone was right. Not only was I lucky to have Cross around, but so were they. She was the best person I'd met in all the Wastes.

Sometimes at night we'd sit around our camp and she'd tell me stories about my dad. It was intriguing, honestly. Everything I knew about my dad related to his life — our life, inside Vault 101. But Cross, she had all these stories from when she escorted my dad and I across the Wastes so that we could start our new life in Vault 101. My dad did his best to protect me as they travelled from DC proper out to Megaton, right by Vault 101. Cross had nothing but praise for James, my dad. She really seemed to admire how much he'd done for me, and she always told me that I was so much like him. That compliment, repeated hundreds of times throughout our travels together, always instilled a sense of warmth inside me. To think that I'm even remotely like my father is pleasing. It's true that my dad made mistakes in his life, but we all do. Without him, Project Purity never would've happened. The wastelanders would still be drinking irradiated water and suffering. But my dad, he changed all that. His dream has made life for us better. And maybe one day it won't be the Capital Wasteland anymore. Maybe humanity will come back better and stronger than ever.

Cross certainly seemed to think so. Cross was a believer. She joined the Brotherhood of Steel because she wanted to help. She wanted to make life better for everyone. I think that's why she asked to follow me. Not because I was James' son, or because I had so many stories to tell, I think it was because she thought I could help. I could make things better. And we did! Cross and I, we did so much. Maybe it was inconsequential, but we helped people across the Wastes in the best ways we could. She helped me stop the AntAgonizer and The Mechanist from terrorising Canterbury Commons. Cross was there when we took back Project Purity from The Enclave, and I'd never seen her look more determined. The way she skilfully took out the Enclave soldiers was beautiful to watch. It was no wonder everyone in the Citadel praised her up and down. Cross was there when Liberty Prime led its final assault on the Enclave satellite outpost. She was there when we fought through the Museum of History so we could get a poster of the Lincoln Memorial for some escaped slaves. Cross was invaluable to me.

I thought that Cross and I would travel the Wastes together indefinitely, but the harsh realities of war threw a wrench into that plan. It was supposed to be another routine mission. Infiltrate the Presidential Metro, take the train out to Adams Air Force Base, and destroy the Enclave for good. Things went according to plan for a good chunk of the mission. We made it into the Presidential Metro with no issues, and we removed the security breach (several Ghouls had made it into the tunnels,) and made it out to the base. As we stepped out of the Metro and into the midday sun, I knew something was wrong. This was supposed to be the new Enclave base. Why the hell was it so quiet? There wasn't a guard in sight, and wind whistled through the broken buildings strewn around the area. I made it over to where my mission orders were. They seemed simple enough. Use the Tesla Cannon to take out any opposition, and destroy the mobile Enclave base with an airstrike.

We stepped onto the runway and hell broke loose. Enclave soldiers came from every direction, and the turrets rained bullets down on us. I thought that the two of us could fight them off long enough to get to the air traffic control tower, but it became clear that we were outnumbered. I turned to tell Cross that she needed to get out and head back to the Citadel, but my eyes were greeted with a sad sight. An Enclave soldier was in the process of putting a bullet through Cross' forehead. Bits of her face splattered onto the soldier and myself, vomit rising in my oesophagus. I gave up hope of fighting and tried to cover myself as I sprinted for the tower. I made it, just barely. I sprinted up the steps and flung open the door to the tower, barricading it behind me.

I'm in the tower now, recording this message onto a holotape. I'll have to go back out there and destroy the base sooner or later. I have every intention of completing my mission, but I needed time to reflect. My colleague and friend was just shot in front of my eyes. I'm not a battle hardened soldier like the other initiates. I come from a pampered lifestyle in the Vault. I've only been on the surface for a couple of months, hardly enough time to completely disconnect from the horrors of war. The Americans and the Chinese. The humans and the mutants. The Brotherhood and the Enclave. There is war everywhere out here. I admit that there is a bit of disconnect when it comes to killing a threat, but I can't disconnect myself from watching my friends die. That is why I've made this holotape. A memorial for Cross, because god knows the Brotherhood won't give her any memorial service.

Cross was the best of the best. She was committed to protecting the citizens of the Wastes and she was always there to lend a helping hand or deal a crushing blow to the enemy. A valiant warrior, a great storyteller, a woman always happy to compliment those closest to her and share credit for anything. Everything Cross has ever done has been honourable. Today, out there on that battlefield, Cross was completely dedicated to the mission and, beyond a shadow of a doubt, she died honourably. Although her death is tragic, maybe it is fitting that she died in battle. We were all born into a battle; the battle for survival, so Cross went out the way that she came in. I will go out there and complete my mission, not for the Brotherhood, but for Cross. She will not have died in vain. I will help the Brotherhood stop the Enclave, and maybe even stop this damn war between them. But that's unlikely.

Because war, war never changes.


End file.
